Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Hist 12: Tuesday, 1 May

Today we reviewed the Battle of the Atlantic and the Italian campaign and then filled out the worksheet #16 boxes for D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge.  Please add your notes for the remaining battles/events to this post and complete the Holocaust exercises for homework.  Don't let the team down.

7 comments:

  1. Hiroshima and Nagasaki
    When: 6th and 9th of aug, 1945
    Where: Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki (cities)
    What: The USA dropped atomic bombs on Japanese cities.
    Why: Truman decided that it was a more effecient way to stop Japan then the 1.5 mil men and 12-18 months of coventional war.
    Outcome: Japan surrendered.
    More than 100,00 people killed in bombings.
    So what?
    -New kind of warfare
    -Japan surrendered
    -WWII over
    -Demonstrated racism (No atomic bombs for Germany.)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Liz. As far as the last point is concerned, I think it is important to say it may demonstrate racism. As we discussed, the anti-Asian legislation in both Canada and America was clearly racist, but without some primary sources to back up such a claim, we should temper our response.

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  2. Event: Battle of the Coral Sea
    When: May 4-8 1942
    Where: Coral Sea, about 500 miles northeast of Australia
    What: Battle netween Japan and Allies entirely plane vs plane (supported by aircraft carriers)
    Why: Allies defending New Guinea, their vital Port Moresby and the Island of Tulagi which Japan wanted so they could build airfields on Tulagi to control allied shipping lanes between America and Australia, and enlarge the Japanese empire defensive ring.
    Outcome: The battle was ultimately a draw.
    So what?
    -Turning Point Battle
    - First time Allies stopped the Japanese advance

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  3. Battle of Leyte Gulf
    When: October 23-26 1944
    Where: Philippines
    What: Largest naval battle in the history of war at sea. The whole American Pacific fleet against what was left of the Japanese fleet (icluding 4 aircraft carriers)
    Why: The USA needed to re-take the Philippines for strategic purposes to defeat Japan (which they did)
    Outcome: Japanese lost 1/2 of their fleet-5000 US seamen died
    So What?:
    -Introduced Kamikaze Pilots (suicide bombers-pilots flew their planes loaded with bombs into the ships).
    -Turning point- America now had naval superiority over Japan

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  4. You have all done a good job at succinctly identifying the key elements. Has anyone figured out the role of the water filtration system in the Battle of Midway?

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  5. Battle of Midway
    When: June.1942
    Where: Midway Island, Pacific
    What: American Navy and Japanese Navy battled it out off Midway Island
    Why: The Japanese tried to take the island to extend their defensive perimeter in response to the Doolittle Raid and to lure the American carriers into a trap and sink them
    Outcome: Americans sunk four Japanese carriers and one heavy cruiser and Japan lost next to all of her veteran pilots and most of her carrier fleet
    So What?: Turning point battle- America had now reduced the Japanese threat in the Pacific and could now begin to send her fleet throughout the Pacific theater as she pleased.
    Water filtration: by 1942 the Americans had broken the Japanese codes but the Japanese didn't know so when when they started to use the code word AF the Americans didn't know what it meant so they got the commander on Midway Island to send a message that their Water Purification plant wasn't working, within a few days a Japanese coded message stated that AF was getting thirsty, so the Americans knew it was Midway.

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  6. John. or Joel if you'd rather.May 2, 2012 at 12:30 AM

    Pearl Harbour

    When: December 7 1941
    Where: Pearl Harbour, Hawaii-USA
    What: An attack by Japan upon Pearl Harbour and the ships stationed there.
    Why: To Sink or immobilize US battleships and aircraft carriers.
    Outcome: 8 battleships damaged, 2 lost. No carriers hurt as they were positioned off coast. USA joins the war as a result.
    So What?: Japan had awoken the "sleeping giant" and would feel the reprecussions from USA. America now in the war, so Roosevelt could support the allies fully in the war effort. No damage was done to the aircraft carriers of the US, allowing most naval battles to be won as a result.

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